1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an outboard motor including a vertically extending casing adapted to be supported on a hull; an engine mounted on an upper part of the casing; an engine cover covering the engine, the engine cover having a lower cover fixed to the casing and an upper cover joined to the lower cover via a first mating surface along one plane; a linear member lead-out part guiding a linear member from out of the interior of the engine cover, the linear member lead-out part having a case part that is integrally connected to the lower cover so that, among left and right side walls of the lower cover, it is closer to one side wall and projects forward from a front wall of the lower cover; and a lid member joined to the case part via a second mating surface disposed below the first mating surface.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-245891 discloses a conventional outboard motor in which an engine cover is formed from a lower cover fixed to a casing and an upper cover joined to the lower cover, and a linear lead-out part for guiding a linear member from out of the interior of the engine cover wherein the linear lead-out part projects forward from a front wall of the lower cover.
In the arrangement of the components for the conventional outboard motor disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-245891, a lead-out part having an entire periphery that is integrally connected projects from the lower cover. In order to insert a linear member, such as a throttle cable or a wire harness, into the lead-out part while maintaining liquid tightness, from the viewpoint of workability, etc., it is desirable to divide the lead-out part into upper and lower portions, that is, a case part that is integral with the lower cover and a lid member joined to the case. In the disclosed arrangement, if mating surfaces of the case part and the lid member are disposed below mating surfaces of the lower cover and the upper cover, a small gap is formed between the lower cover and the lid member and there is a possibility of water entering the interior of the engine cover via the small gap when operating in turbulent waters. It is therefore necessary to take measures against the entrance of water, and it is desirable that, when taking these measures, any increase in the number of components is avoided.